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Prerequisite for Registration

The School of Education strives to produce educators who model high standards before their peers and who have dedicated their lives to education. In keeping with this mission, our candidates will complete a variety of field experiences in the K–12 school system as part of their program. Background checks have become a requirement in our partnerships with school systems. Out of respect for this change in climate, we require all candidates to complete a background check through CastleBranch.

With the exception of candidates in the Ph.D. program, all School of Education candidates are required to complete the background check in order to enroll in EDUC/EDSP courses.

This service is supported by CastleBranch. Candidates are responsible for all fees associated with the background check package. These fees will be paid directly to CastleBranch.

Background checks take approximately 2-8 weeks to process from the time the required materials are submitted, dependent upon the package purchased.

Previously purchased background checks through American DataBank will be accepted.

Background checks are comprised of three portions: Criminal Background Check, FBI Fingerprinting, and Virginia Child Abuse Check. The candidate will need to choose from one of the packages that are currently offered through CastleBranch, depending on his/her residence and/or citizenship, and will be required to completed all portions of the application package.

The following guide is a list of the background check packages offered through CastleBranch:

LM72aoos: I am an online student not residing in Virginia.

Criminal Background Check

FBI Fingerprinting (electronic fingerprinting or ink fingerprinting)

LM72aoos2: I am an online student not residing in Virginia. I am NOT a US citizen.

Criminal Background Check

FBI Fingerprinting (ink fingerprinting only)

LM72ava: I am a residential student or an online student residing in Virginia.

Criminal Background Check

FBI Fingerprinting (electronic fingerprinting or ink fingerprinting)

Virginia Child Abuse Check

LM72ava2: I am a residential or an online student residing in Virginia. I am NOT a US citizen.

Criminal Background Check

FBI Fingerprinting (ink fingerprinting only)

Virginia Child Abuse Check

LM72bg: I am an online student residing outside the U.S. and Canada.

Criminal Background Check

LM72fp: I need to order my fingerprint only.

FBI Fingerprinting (electronic fingerprinting or ink fingerprinting)

LM72fp2: I need to order my fingerprint only. I am NOT a U.S. citizen.

FBI Fingerprinting (ink fingerprinting only)

LM72vaabuse: I need to order my child abuse clearance only.

Virginia Child Abuse Check

All background check clearances will be valid for 5 years from the date that the clearance was reported to edbackground@liberty.edu. If a background check is deemed invalid after five years’ time, the candidate will be responsible for purchasing an updated background check. Many school systems may require background check clearances more recent than five years. As such, the candidate may be responsible to purchase an updated background check to meet all school system requirements for placement.

Background check purchase (receipt) through CastleBranch will be required to register for all education courses after 6 credit hours have been completed in the program. Completion and clearance of the background check will be required for education courses which require a field experience as well as student teaching, internship, and non-licensure capstone courses. Candidates will not be able to register for these courses without background check receipt and clearance.

See below for information on convictions and findings that may result in a student’s inability to be enrolled in a practicum course and/or removal from the program.

Prerequisites for Online Courses

No prerequisite

EDUC 200, 205, 301, 302 (A.A., B.S.)

EDUC 500, 518, 600, 606, 656 (M.A.T., M.Ed., M.Ed.-CI)

EDUC 701, 741 (Ed.S., Ed.D.)

Clearance required

Background check clearance is required for any field placement in K-12 schools:

EDUC 380, 390, 398 (B.S.)

EDUC 554, 590s, 625 (M.A.T.)

EDUC 647, 648, 650, 699 (M.Ed.)

EDUC 672, 696, 698 (M.Ed-CI)

EDUC 798, 919, 970, 980, 989, 990 (Ed.S./Ed.)

Receipt required

All other EDSP/EDUC courses (including intensives)

Candidates in the Ph.D. program are not required to meet the background check prerequisite.

Prerequisites for Residential Courses

All other EDSP/EDUC courses (including intensives)

No prerequisite

EDUC 125

Receipt required

EDUC 220, 221

Clearance required

All other EDUC courses (EDUC 225 through EDUC 477)

EDSP 324, 364, 414, 474 (practicum courses)

Terms of Removal

A felony or other conviction reported on the background check may result in a candidate’s ineligibility for field practicum placement or required licensure and may result in removal from the program. The School of Education reserves the right to remove candidates from the program for convictions that can affect the safety and well-being of children and adolescents. The School of Education administration has adopted standards that mirror the Virginia Department of Education licensure regulations to determine the infractions that may lead to program removal in programs that have a field practicum or include licensure from the Virginia Department of Education.

According to the Virginia Department of Education licensure regulations, disqualifying infractions include:

Conviction of any felony

Conviction of any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude

Subject of a founded case of child abuse and neglect

A candidate is entitled to an individualized determination on a program removal decision. The candidate may provide sufficient information and documentation to demonstrate that he or she does not pose a danger to the safety and well-being of children and adolescents, and possesses the essential character traits required for placement in a professional practicum field placement and/or required licensure. The School of Education reviews all material presented to make the final determination as to whether the candidate will be found ineligible for field placement and/or required licensure removed from the program.

VDOE Notification

The Background Check is required as part of standards for eligibility within the LU School of Education. In addition, the Virginia Department of Education also makes determinations about your eligibility to earn a state license.

The following questions will be asked of you as part of your application to receive your state license:

Have you ever been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to, a felony?

Have you ever been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to, a criminal offense in another country?

Have you ever been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to, a misdemeanor involving a child (minor)?

Have you ever been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or no contest to, a misdemeanor involving drugs (not alcohol)?

Have you ever had a teaching, administrator, pupil personnel services, or other education-related certificate or license revoked, suspended, invalidated, canceled, or denied by another state, territory, or country; surrendered such a license; or had any other adverse action taken against such a license?

Have you ever been the subject of a founded complaint of child abuse or neglect by a child protection agency?

Have you ever left any education- or school-related employment, voluntarily or involuntarily, while the subject of an investigation, inquiry, or review of alleged misconduct or when you had reason to believe an investigation of the alleged misconduct was underway or imminent?

To your knowledge, are you currently the subject of any investigation, inquiry, or review of alleged misconduct that could warrant discipline or termination by a school division or other education-related employer, or an adverse action against a teaching, administrator, pupil personnel services, or other education-related license or certificate?